Method and apparatus for network-assisted automatic confirmation of short message service delivery

Abstract

In a mobile communications network, a delivery acknowledgement receipt can be sent to indicate a SMS message is delivered. A system can be based on currently-existing protocols, such as described in the IS-136 standard. Existing network signals that acknowledge receipt of a message can be captured and utilized to notify the originator when the SMS message is delivered. A variety of other scenarios (e.g., unsuccessful delivery) can also be supported.

1. A method of operating a short message service center comprising:
 receiving a short message service request from a sender; 
 determining delivery acknowledgement preferences of the sender wherein the sender's preferences comprise an acknowledgement type, a location to send an acknowledgement, or an indication of message-by-message acknowledgment; 
 transmitting through a wireless mobile network a short message to a wireless mobile unit in accordance with the short message service request; 
 receiving a signal from the wireless mobile network acknowledging delivery of the short message to the wireless mobile unit; and 
 transmitting a delivery acknowledgement in accordance with the delivery acknowledgement preferences of the sender; 
 wherein the delivery acknowledgement preferences of the sender comprise at least:
 an encoding in a message received, or 
 a database of delivery acknowledgement preferences. 
 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the delivery acknowledgement preference is stored in the database. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the delivery acknowledgement preference is encoded in the short message service request. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the delivery acknowledgement is an e-mail transmitted to the sender's e-mail address. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the delivery acknowledgement is transmitted using a short message service. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the delivery acknowledgement is a page in a paging system. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 1  wherein the delivery acknowledgement is transmitted to a wireless application protocol proxy server. 
   
   
     8. A short message service center comprising:
 a first interface to a wireless mobile network; 
 a second interface to an external short message entity; 
 a central processing unit connected to the first and second interfaces for executing computer program instructions, the computer program instructions causing the central processing unit to perform the following: 
 receiving a short message service request from a sender; 
 determining delivery acknowledgement preferences of the sender wherein the sender's preference comprises an acknowledgement type, a location to send an acknowledgement, or an indication of message-by-message acknowledgment; 
 transmitting through the wireless mobile network a short message to a wireless mobile unit in accordance with the short message service request; 
 receiving a signal from the wireless mobile network acknowledging delivery of the short message to the wireless mobile unit; and 
 transmitting through the external short message entity a delivery acknowledgement in accordance with the delivery acknowledgement preferences of the sender; 
 wherein the delivery acknowledgement preferences of the sender comprise at least:
 an encoding in a message received, or 
 a database of delivery acknowledgement preferences. 
 
 
   
   
     9. The short message service center of  claim 8  wherein the external short message entity is an e-mail gateway and the delivery acknowledgement is an e-mail transmitted to the sender's e-mail address. 
   
   
     10. The short message service center of  claim 8  wherein the external short message entity is a paging system and the delivery acknowledgement is a page in the paging system. 
   
   
     11. The short message service center of  claim 8  wherein the external short message entity is a wireless application protocol proxy server. 
   
   
     12. A wireless network node configured to communicate with at least one wireless mobile communication device, the wireless network node comprising:
 a processor configured to perform at least the following: 
 receiving a short message service request from a sender; 
 determining delivery acknowledgement preferences of the sender wherein the sender's preference comprises an acknowledgement type, a location to send an acknowledgement, or an indication of message-by-message acknowledgment; 
 receiving an SMDPP acknowledgement message as a result of attempting communications with the wireless mobile communication device; and 
 responsive to receiving the SMDPP acknowledgement message, transmitting a delivery acknowledgement receipt to the sender, according to the determined delivery acknowledgement preferences of the sender; 
 wherein the delivery acknowledgement preferences of the sender comprise at least:
 an encoding in a message received, or 
 a database of delivery acknowledgement preferences. 
 
 
   
   
     13. The wireless network node of  claim 12  wherein the SMDPP acknowledgement message indicates an acknowledgement status related to the wireless mobile communication device. 
   
   
     14. The wireless network node of  claim 12  wherein the wireless network node is further configured to communicate with at least one short message entity, the processor further configured to perform at least the following:
 receiving an SMS message from the short message entity; 
 transmitting an SMDPP message addressed to the wireless mobile communication device; 
 wherein the SMDPP acknowledgement received acknowledges transmission of the SMDPP message addressed to the wireless mobile communication device. 
 
   
   
     15. The wireless network of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform at least the following:
 associating an email address with the SMS message; and transmitting, in the transmitting step, 
 an indication of the delivery acknowledgement receipt to the email address. 
 
   
   
     16. The wireless network node of  claim 15  wherein the delivery acknowledgement receipt is sent to a pre-specified destination. 
   
   
     17. The wireless network node of  claim 16  wherein the pre-specified destination is stored as destination preferences adapted to be modified by a user of the short message entity. 
   
   
     18. The wireless network of  claim 12  wherein the SMDPP acknowledgement message indicates unsuccessful communication with the wireless mobile communication device. 
   
   
     19. The wireless network of  claim 12  wherein the SMDPP acknowledgement message indicates the wireless mobile communication device is inactive. 
   
   
     20. The wireless network of  claim 12  wherein the SMDPP acknowledgement message indicates the wireless mobile communication device is not adapted to receive SMS.